Snakes In Grass At Whangaruru S.

Northern Advocate, 7 March 1947, Page 4

Snakes In Grass At Whangaruru S.

TWO snakes were discovered by a party of Maoris in a field of grass near the beach at Whangaruru South on Monday. The snakes, alarmed by the Maoris walking through the grass, were first seen when they raised their heads to peer at the intruders. While the Maoris kept the snakes in view, one of them, T. M. Davis, got a shotgun and blew the head off one of the reptiles. The other vanished into the grass.

The Maoris carried the headless snake to the postmaster at Whangaruru South (Mr E. It. Ewen) who placed it in his refrigerator to preserve it before sending it yesterday to the curator of the Whangarei Museum (Mrs W. Reynolds! for identification.

Mrs Reynolds reports that the snake is a yellow-bellied sea snake commonly found on reefs in tropical waters. Its technicall name is Hydrus (Pelamis) Platurus and, although exceedingly venomous, it will not attack, humans unless alarmed. The snake is 3ft long and has a black back with a yellow belly and whitish-yellow markings along its tail. Mrs Reynolds states that these snakes can attain a length of sft and occasionally live ones have been washed up on the west coast beaches of New Zealand. Snakes washed up this way. however, she added, usually only lived for a day cr two, not being able + o survive long out of the water. They are easily mistaken for cels as they are dark on toD and have a flattened tail like an eel. The Maoris who saw the snakes arc still beating the grass for the second snake and intend to take it alive 'f possible. They have seen no further sign of ; t since Monday and now think that it may have escaped into the sea, which is only about 12 yards away.